Hi, I recently have read a few stories about writers who have sent off their manuscripts and met rejections only to change their name, to a pen name of sorts, and been accepted. I was wondering if anyone else had encountered a similair story, and whether having a catchy name is very important in getting your manuscript even seen. I am aware that it is possible that a publisher/agent will change your name around a bit (JK Rowling) but I did not think about the effect your name could have in getting your manuscript read.
I have thought about this after I read a book by Alexander McCall Smith about a publisher trying to find the perfect author (it was fiction however), and she discounted one on the grounds of his boring name. In my opinion, one would struggle to find a more pedestrian-sounding surname than Rudd! I had strongly considered writing under a pen name, but I have no idea what... although Sam Bourne got his surname from a poster for the Bourne film series!
It's funny, I was talking with my family the other day about whether I would keep or change my name :) I think Gayle Bentham is quite a good author name but some of them thought I should go with G E Bentham.
It may be just a coincidence that these writers got accepted after they changed their names? When they first submitted their manuscript the publisher may have not been accepting submissions and then when they submitted their manuscript with a different name the publisher may have then been accepting submissions? That's just a total theory though :)
If it helps I like the sound of T.O Buhrer. :)